The European Union commenced formal investigation today into X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, for not countering illicit content and misinformation, lack of advertising transparency, and deceptive design. The investigation is taking place due to the Digital Services Act passage in the last year, giving the regulators power to enforce social media platforms to monitor hate speech, misinformation, and other divisive content. It is estimated that if X is found to be violating the Digital Services Act, the company could be fined up to 6% of global revenue. Once known as Twitter, X has scaled back moderation policies, leading to an increase in incendiary content and a decline in advertising by brands. Critics also found a significant rise in antisemitic content due to X’s policy changes. The investigation will also analyze X’s attempts to handle false information and its content moderation policies. Furthermore, the inquiry may affect the E.U.’s ability to compel major internet platforms to modify their behavior. Elon Musk has been an outspoken advocate of free speech, creating tensions with regulators.
